Check-controlled device.



K. B. MILLER. CHECK CONTROLLED DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 3, 1905.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KEMPSTER B. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,.ASSIGNOR TO'THE 'KELLOGG'SWITCHBOA-R'D & SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GEEK-CONTROLLED DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KEMPSTER B. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residin in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Controlled Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to check-controlled devices and has for its object, generally speaking, the provision of means for preventing the fraudulent or undesired operation of such apparatus. Heretofore such devices have been operated by coins or by metal checks and various methods have been devised for preventing the use of unauthorized coins or the like but with only limited suc cess. My invention contemplates the use of a special check and a suitably-arranged receiving apparatus or collector therefor, whereby only checks of the special type are capable of operating the said apparatus. In the preferred arrangment the check consists of a metal disk of which the outer ring con sists of non-magnetic material and the central part of the disk of metal that is magnetic. The chute into which the check is dropped to operate the apparatus leads between the pole of a preferably permanent magnet and a pair of armatures disposed, one toward the edge of the slot or chute and the other near the center line therof, and which are nor mally unattached by the said pole, the adjustment bein such that when a check of magnetic metal is placed between the armatures and the said pole the armatures will be attracted but when a non-magnetic check is placed therebetween no such attraction takes place. These armatures are arranged to control circuit contacts in such manner that under normal conditions or when both are attracted the circuit is open but when only the armature standing in the line of the center of the chute is attracted the said circuit is closed. When therefore, a coin or a disk composed wholly of magnetic material is dropped into the slot the said circuit is not closed but when a check having a non-magnetic oute ring and a magnetic center is placed in the slot the outer armature remains unattracted and the center one is attracted to thereby close the said circuit to operate the desired signal or other device.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filedjanuary 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,309.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

once characters are used throughout the several views to indicate likeparts and in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of the receiving apparatus or collector with parts removed to show the apparatus within the casing or box; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Big. 3 is a diagram of the circuit in which the said device may be employed; Big. 4 is a detail View of the preferred form of check, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the check and circuit-controlling armatures. Fig. 6 is a spring for holding the armature of the polarized magnet midway between the poles.

The collector consists of a suitable casing 2 within which the operating parts of the instrument are located and which include a chute 3 in which the check is adapted to be placed to operate the instrument. This chute divides into two branches; one, 4, leading to the outside of the box to return the check to the party depositing the same, and the other, 5, leading to the receptacle for the checks when they are to be collected in the instrument. At the rear of the chute 3 a permanentmagnet 6 is suitably supported with its pole 7 standing adjacent the rear face of the slot above the two branches 4 and 5. A pair of armatures, 8 and 9, are suitably pivoted at the end of the other leg 10 of the permanent magnet which projects'between the two branches 4 and 5 of the chute and the upper ends of which armatures are bent toward the outer face of the chute 8 and stand opposite the pole 7 of the permanent magnet. Suitable springs 11 maintain said armatures 8 and 9 in their normal position and adjusting screws 12 are provided in their lower ends to act as normal stops for the same. The free ends of these armatures 8 and 9 are at such a distance from the pole 7 of the permanent magnet and are so adjusted that they are normally unattracted by said magnet but when the air gap between their ends and the pole 7 is shortened, as by the insertion of a magnetic metal disk in the slot 3, they are attracted. The armature 8, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, is located at the center line of the slot 3 while the armature 9 is placed at one side of the same. These armaturesS and 9 carry contacts 13 and 14, the former being arranged when the armature is attracted to engage the stationary contact 15 while the latter is normally in enpanying drawing, in which the same refeI- gagement with the stationary contact 16,

these stationary contacts being provided 1 with suitabie terminais at their upper ends I to be readiiy connected with the conductors of the desired circuit. 'l'he armatures a and 9 are in e.ectrical contact through the medium of their common pivot and support.

In the lower part of the collector a polarized magnet 17 is located which controls through its. armature 18 a shalt 19 carrying at its upper end a yoke 20 provided with a pin 21 at each end, which pins project through suitab.e slots into the check chute 3 as indicated in big. 2. "these pins are heid in their normal position by the spring 33, the ends of which press upon the frame 2, and the central portion of which is attached to armature 18 and are at the proper dis tance apart to receive and support between them the check 22; this check is prel'eraby in the form of a disk as indicated in 1* ig. e, the outer ring 23 of which consists of nonmagnetic material such as brass and the centrai part 24 consists of magnetic material such as soft iron. When a check of this characteris paced in the chute 3 it rolls down the same and is arrested and had by the said pins 21 with its central part 24 between the armature 8 and the poo 7 of the permanent magnet; The non-magnetic part 23 of the check is between the armature 9 and the said pole. Under these conditions on.y the armature 8 wi 1 be attracted, the armature 9 remaining in its normai position. 'ihe circuit which inciudes the said two contacts 15 and 16 is therelore ciosed and serves to operate the signal or other desired device. '1 he magnet 17 is under the control of the party having charge of the device and by passing a current in one direction or the other through the said magnet one or the other pin 21 is withdrawn from the chute and the check is caused to pass out either the branch 4 or the branch 5, according to whether it is desired to return the check to the depositor or to collect it in the box.

In Fig. 3 a telephone circuit is shown in which the said a paratus may be employed, L indicating a te ephone line leading from a substation to a central ofiice u here it is provided with the usual line relay R, cut-oif relay R and line signal S, as well as with a spring jack or other connection terminal J. The cord circuit at the central olhce, by means of which the operator is enabled to establish connections with the telephone lines, is indicated in part and is provided with the usual answering plug P and the battery B, which may be the same as the battery B shown in connection with the telephone line, and suitable direct current generators 25 and 26 which are arranged to be connected by suitable keys or switches 27 and 28 with the cord circuit and to send current in one direction or the other over the telephone line. A differential relay 1 is provided with superimposed windings and is arranged-with its two coils in the opposite strands of the cord circuit and controls a suitable signal so that 'a hen an excess current tlov. s through one side of said coil said relay is operated but when current flow s over the metallic circuit the effects thereof are neutralized and its armature remains unattracted. 1n the operation of the apparatus in connection with this system of Fig. 3 the subscriber or any person desiring to use the telephone, takes up his receiver 29 and completes a path for current over the telephone line from the battery B through the line relay R, thence through the receiver 29 and transmitter 30 at the substation, and back to the central office to ground through the other spring of the vcut-otl' relay 1x Current in this path excites the line relay R vhich closes the local circuit of the line signal S to indicate the call. The operator upon observing this signal inserts the plug P of her cord circuit into the ack J of the telephone line and connects her head telephone (not shonn) with the cord circuit to receive the order from the party calling. Upon being informed of the number n anted she requests the deposit of the check. In case a check of the type described is dropped into the chute 3 of the collector the circuit is completed from the ground branch 31 at the substation through armatures 9 and 8 and thence by r. ay 01 branch 32 to the sleeve side of the telephone line and thence'over said sleeve side of the l ne, the sleeve conductor 8 of the cord circuit through one winding of the relay r to the live pole of the battery B. This completes a circuit, owing to the ground at the other terminal of the said battery, and causes said relay r to be operated to light its signal thus indicating to the operator that the proper check has been deposited. Upon finally completing the connection the operator actuates the key 27 or 28, according to the manner in which the magnet 17 is connected in the circuit at the substation, and suitably operates the same to turn its shaft 19 and withdraw the pin 21 from the chute 3 on the side toward the branch 5, thereby permitting the check to drop down branch 5 to the check receptacle. As soon as the check passes from the pins 21 the ground branch from the sleeve side of the line through conductors 31 and 32 is opened and the conversation may be carried on in the usual man ner. Fad the operator been unable to complete the connection, or if for any reasonshe wished to return the check, the pressure of the other key 27 or 28 would result in sending current in the other direction through the magnet 17 to withdraw the pin 21 on the side toward the branch 4 of the chute to permit said check to be returned to the party calling. It isobvious that the proper check must be presented for the reason that a check of diamagnetic material would not close the ground circuit and operate the signal at the central oflice and like? ise a check vxholly of magnetic material would attract both armatures 8 and 9 and therefore maintain the circuit open so that the said operators signal vqould not be excited. Thus only the proper check can be used. The check is preferably plated with nickel or othernise to concealthe different kinds of metal used therein.

While I have thus particularly described one form of the invention, it u ill be understood that it is not to be limited in all res ects to the details thus specifically eX- p ained as various changes and modifications may be made therein and still come a ithin its scope and principle.

What I claim is:

1. In a check-controlled device, the combination With a permanent magnet, of a check adapted to be placed in the magnetic circuit of said permanent magnet, portions of said check being of different magnetic conductivity, a signaling circuit, means for controlling said circuit, the proper actuation of said means depending upon the proper distribution of the materials of said check, substantially as described.

2. In acheck-controlled device, the combination u ith a magnetic circuit, of a check adapted to be placed in the circuit, portions of said check being of different magnetic conductivity, mechanism controlled by the insertion of said check, the proper actuation of said mechanism depending upon the proper distribution of the materials of said check, substantially as described.

3. In a check-controlled device, the combination with a permanent magnet, of a pair of movable armatures for said magnet, a

i check adapted to be placed in the magnetic curcuit of said permanent magnet and its armatures, said check having portions of different magnetic conductivity, a portion of good magnetic conductivity being adapted to be placed adjacent one of said armatures, and a portion of poor magnetic conductivity being adapted to be placed adjacent the other of said armatures, hereby the former armature is actuated and the latter is not actuated for the proper operation of the device, substantially as described.

4. In a check-controlled device, the combination with a signaling circuit, of a pair of armatures controlling contacts of said circuit, a magnetic check adapted to be placed in the ma netic circuit of said armatures, said check having portions of difi'erentmagnetic conductivity adjacent the dillerent armatures, the proper actuation of said armatures depending upon the magnetic conductivity of the difierent portions of said check, substantially as described.

5. In a check controlled device, the combination with a magnetic circuit, of operative mechanism for the device, checks for controlling said device, ditlerent portions of which have different magnetic permeability, substantially as described.

6. A check; for check-controlled apparatus having a magnetic and a non-magnetic portion so distributed as to properly control said apparatus, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a check controlled device, of a check composed partially of magnetic and partially of non-magnetic material and adapted to be inserted in the device, the proper actuation of the device being accomplished only by the insertion of the check having properly distributed magnetic and non-magnetic materials, substantially as described.

8. In a check controlled device, the combination with an inclosing. case having an opening therein for the insertion of a check, a chute leading from said opening, a division in said chute, means at said division for retaining the inserted check, a magnetic circuit adapted to be closed by a check of magnetic material so retained, means operated by the closing of said magnetic circuit, electrical contacts controlled by said means and means for releasing said check into either of the said divisions of said chute, substantially as described.

9. In a check-controlled device, the combination vrith an electric circuit, of a pair of armatures controlling said circuit, one of said armatures controlling normally closed 100 contacts of the other normally open contacts in said circuit, s hereby the circuit may be completed only by the actuation of the armature controlling normally open contacts in the circuit, and whereby the actuation of the 105 other armature or of both armatures simultaneously does not complete said circuit, a check adapted to be inserted in the magnetic circuit of said armatures, said check having a magnetic portion adjacent the armature 110 controlling the normally open contacts of the electric circuit and having a non-magnetic portion adjacent the armature controlling the normally closed contacts of said electric circuit, the insertion of said check being 115 adapted to actuate the armature controlling the normally open contacts in the electric circuit, uhereby the electric circuit is completed, the insertion of any other check being adapted to either improperly actuate said 120 armatures or to fail to actuate them, Whereby the electric circuit is not completed, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois in the presence of two 125 Witnesses.

KEMPSTER B. MILLER. Witnesses:

DAVID S. HULFIsn, J. M. HUNUs'roN. 

